The battle for work-life balance

OPINION: A healthy work-life balance is important, and the Holidays Act recognises this. The act states that employees are entitled to four weeks paid annual holidays a year "to provide the opportunity for rest and recreation".

The timing of annual holidays is to be agreed between the employer and employee, but an employer cannot unreasonably refuse a request for leave. But what happens when an employer has approved a leave request, and then for one reason or another wants to revoke their approval?

A recent decision of the Employment Relations Authority has found that an employee was unjustifiably dismissed after her annual leave was approved, but then her employer demanded that she cancel it. From there the relationship soured, resulting in the employee's dismissal.

Sarah Beaney worked for Raw Sushi Ltd part time from 2013, until she was dismissed in March 2018. Beaney made two leave requests, for a week each, one over the Christmas break and another in February. Both of........